Blackpool Council’s trading standards team conducted an operation between February 2022 and February 2023 designed to target the sale and supply of illicit tobacco products. As a result, huge quantities of smuggled and counterfeit tobacco were taken off the market and have now been destroyed with the help of ENVECO – Blackpool Council’s waste management service.

This operation took place as part of Operation CeCe, a national trading standards scheme in partnership with HMRC to tackle illegal tobacco sales. With the support of this national initiative, the council’s trading standards team have increased the number and frequency of visits that they have been able to carry out with retailers in the Blackpool area.

The use of illegal tobacco can have serious health consequences for the consumer. Tobacco seized that has been sent for analysis has been found to contain in some instances, glass as well as rat droppings.

An additional safety issue is that illegally manufactured cigarettes do not self-extinguish as legal cigarettes do, and can be a serious concern as such cigarettes have contributed towards house fires nationwide.

Cllr Paula Burdess, Blackpool Council Cabinet Member for Community Safety, Street Scene and Neighbourhoods, said: